Benningtow e



(N o Model.)

' B.R.HUGHBS. THILL QOUPLING. 10.244,900.

' x Patented July 26, 1.881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENINGTON E. HUGHES, E HoLMEsBUEe, PHILADELPHIA, AssIeNoH 0E oNE-PoUETH To THoMAs EEADEIELD, on PHILADELPHIA, PA.

THILL-COUPLING.

'- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent IJN0. 244,900, dated July 26, 1881.

Application ined May 31,1881. (No model.)

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it-known that I, BENNINGTON R. HUGHES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Holmesburg, in the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shaf't and Pole Couplings for Garriages, of which the following is specification.

The nature of my invention consists of a coupling-strap. which has an adjustable cap combined with it and with a shaft or pole of a carriage in such a manner as to effect an expeditious attachment'and detachment of the shaft from the carriage, as hereinafter fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, which make a part of this specication, Figure lis a bottom view of the rear end of the shaft B, a portion of the front axle, A, and the coupling devices. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the couplin'gstrap D from the under side, the strap being turned bottom upward and the spring G being removed. Fig. et is a perspective view of the spring G. Fig. 5 is a bottom View of a portion of the strap D, having the cap E pushed backvehicle; B, the rear end of a shaft; C, a clip connected with the axle in the usual manner; and D a coupling-strap bolted to the section of the shaft.

Instead of the strap being made in a single piece with a solid eye, as in the usual manner, it has an adjustable cap, E, which hasa semicircular bearing, b', which is combined with the semicircular bearing b in the head of the strap, to form a whole concentric bearing for thejoint-pin a, as seen in Fig. 3. The cap AE is heldin connection with the strap D by means of the screw-bolt c, which is provided with a nut, d, which clasps the rounded Lipper side of the shaft B, the bolt having the twofold function of confining the cap to the strap and the latter to the shaft at this end of the strap, which is .fastened at the other end in the usual manner by the bolt c. The cap E has a slot, e, through which the bolt c passes, to admit of the adjustment of the cap to the joint-pin a, and also to admit of its being drawn packward when the bolt o is slackened to for a vertical o'pening,f, ofthe joint in thebear'ng, as seen in Figs. 5 and 6, so as to admit of coupling the shaft with the clip 'C without withdrawing the joint-pin a. When the connection is made the cap is pushed forward to its place and conned by tightening the bolt c. For the purpose of forming this connection of the cap with the strap D in a substantialpinanner it is made of considerable length and of plate form, and titted to the facepoffthe stra-p, as represented, and is taperedv at its front end for the purpose which will presently appear.

Gr is a spring, the heel of which is confined t0 the strap D by means of the screw c2, the resilientend of the spring bearing upon the tapered end of the cap E to bear the cap backward into connection with lthe joint-pin ot before it is confined by means of the bolt c to the strap, and also to keep said end irmly in connection with the strap. The spring is adjusted .in its longitudinal direction by means of the slot 7L. The rear end of the cap E is maintained in its true lateral position by means of the slot e, tting in the lug i, which projects from the contiguous side of the strap D, The resilient end of the spring E has turned-np anges j j, as seen in Fig. 4, to preserve its true lateral position, the flanges ttin g as guides against the edges of the cap E, as seen in Figs. l and 2. The edges of the cap are roughened at a: for assisting in holding it in manipulating it, and the outer sides of the angesjj are also roughened for the like purpose.

It will be seen that by making the couplingstrap D in two pieces, iu the manner described, the bea-rings b b may always snugly t the joint-pin a, as the wear is readily taken up, and thereby the rattlingis avoided, which rattling is incidental to the ordinary mode of coupling with a solid eye, without some counteraeting device, and by thus maintaining a steady connection the lateral Wear of this end of the strap will be very slight, and may be compensated for by slightly hammering the ends of the jointpin a, to draw the eonnectin gcheeks of the clip C slightly nearer together. This mode of connection has another important advantage over the connection of the straps having solid eyes, as the shafts may be very quickly attached and detached by means of the sliding movement of the caps E-a great desideratum when the shifting or detachment of the shafts becomes necessary for want ot' room for housing or storing ofthe carriage.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination ot' the cap E, having a slot, e, strap D, and shaft B, the cap and strap being fastened to the shaft by means of the bolt c, substantially in the manner and for the purpose above described.

2. The combination of the spring G- with the strap D and cap E, having its front end tapered, as described, for pressing the cap backward to bring its bearing b into connection with the bearing b of the strap and the jointpin a preparatory to its being bolted fast to the strap, and also for holding its front end firmly in connection with the strap, substantially as described.

BENNINGTON R. HUGHES.

Witnesses THOMAS J. BEWLEY, STEPHEN UsTICK. 

